George Karl an Inspiration to Cancer Victims

Filed under: Nuggets , NBA Coaches For the past half-decade, Denver coach George Karl has been telling anybody who would listen the U.S. government needs a national program to cure cancer. Karl beat prostate cancer after he was diagnosed in 2005. Then his son, Coby Karl , now a Nuggets guard, successfully fought thyroid cancer in 2006 and 2007. And Karl missed the final 1½ months of last season due to a form of throat cancer, a battle he looks to be winning. When Karl was told a few months ago he was to be honored at Wednesday's ESPYs with the Jimmy V Award for perseverance, named after former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993, Karl initially was reluctant. But he eventually realized he couldn't turn down a chance to preach his message before millions. Share "When I was first told about the award, I didn't think I was worthy of accepting it,'' Karl said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "But, as time goes on, I realized that it would be a chance to speak and help the cancer program. There's no cancer program like the Jimmy V (Foundation). ... I was humbled by the honor.''